Who’s controlling what:

1. Federal Reconstruction “Czar” Donald Powell
   What is:
   
   • Has maintained a low profile and ambiguity on plans or activities underway
   
   What should be:
   
   • Powell’s authority will be widely encompassing. He is to use his power to quickly enact urgent decisions, bypassing the bureaucratic mess that normally slows down the political decision-making process. By being able to act with such efficiency, Powell will be in a flexible position, able to adapt to a changing situation at all levels of government and entirely capable of initiating sweeping progress

2. HUD
   What is:
   
   • Has been rehabilitating damaged public housing in an effort to return displaced residents
   • The Department of Housing and Urban Development has historically been largely responsible for public housing. Hence, its post-Katrina efforts have been overwhelmingly focused on the restoration of public housing. HUD has also been a source of funding for housing compensation programs such as the Road Home Program.
   • Have provided the opportunity for over 2500 public housing residents to move back
   
   Improvements:
   
   • Possibly more funding for programs such as the Road Home

3. FEMA
   What is:
   
   • Has been responsible for the ssessment of damages on individual homes
   • Gutting of flooded and severely damaged structures
   • Compensatory money to some homeowners based on damage incurred, location, and insurance
   
   
4. Louisiana Recovery Authority
   What is:
   
   • A number of task forces and recovery teams working on different aspects of redevelopment
   • Vague short and long term recovery and development plans
   • Current activity highly ambiguous
   
   What should be:
   
   • Active involvement in both large scale planning and actual rebuilding
   • Creation and realization of tangible goals

5. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, City Council, and Inspector General
   
   • Mayor
     What is:
     
     • Ray Nagin has, since his initially controversial and rough response to Hurricane Katrina, maintained a fairly low profile, making relatively few public appearances and having made little public knowledge of any current efforts or plans for the city of New Orleans
     
     What should be:
     
     • The New Orleans mayor will be highly proactive, visible, and making public all efforts underway involving the rehabilitation of New Orleans.
     
     
   • City Council
     What is:
     
     • Acts as a check on Mayor’s actions and represents the voice of the people throughout the city
   
   
   • Inspector General
     What is:
     
     • Legislation for position passed on October 19, 2006.
     
     What should be:
     Will exist for the sole purpose of acting as a check on local government corruption, being chosen so as:
     
     • To have no personal interests in the region (unbiased)
     • Have wide discretionary powers
     • Have the Legal power to prosecute upon discovering illegal government activity